Proud Cypriots claim that their culture is the oldest in the world, boasting archeological evidence of human existence as early as 12,000 years ago. For them the practice of sourcing products locally is not a trend but a long-standing culinary tradition.

Bo Peep loses them in a nursery rhyme, insomniacs count them, and renegade family members are labeled as black ones. Sheep have been a cultural icon for millennia and their lamb a mainstay of menus around the globe for even longer. Grilled loin chops and roasted racks, crusted with herbs and garlic, can be found everywhere that Mary went, but some of the less frequently used cuts are the ones that are now creating the real buzz and bleats in professional kitchens.

While Chef Bahr is known for his winning appearance on the Food Network’s Chopped! as well as his command over ingredients such as oysters and duck, there is something else on the table at Restaurant Cotton and it’s no novelty.

Perhaps the most universal of ingredients, the tomato crosses nearly all restaurant cuisines and concepts. Once the product of the wilds of South America, the tomato has migrated more than most people, traversing all continents, cities large and small, and the gardens of professionals and home enthusiasts. But with the rapid growth of mass production came a homogenized, thick-skinned tomato largely devoid of the original fruit’s intense flavor and smooth texture. Fortunately, greater emphasis on healthful and organic foods has brought back to prominence full-flavored heirloom tomatoes.

At once beguilingly sweet and juicy, with a kiss of tartness, cherries are seduction on a stem. And the fruit’s appeal is only enhanced by its limited availability within a season that lasts just a few weeks in most locales, and less than three months overall across the country. Although most other fruits are now predictable fixtures in the food supply, the cherry’s appearance marks a moment for restaurants to enjoy—and exploit—one of nature’s special treats.

Americans love lamb, but they rarely prepare it at home. Perhaps because it is more expensive than other red meats or because of its traditional reputation as a food reserved for holidays, Americans have left cooking lamb largely to the restaurant experts. It’s not surprising that 75 percent of white tablecloth restaurants feature some kind of lamb on the menu.

There was a time when wars were fought, continents discovered, and fortunes made all in the pursuit of spices. This is what it is like in Chef Floyd Cardoz’s kitchen. His kitchen is a veritable court of flavor, spices gain a fine measure of their former glory, as well as much of their old-world appearance.

Where does a pastry chef get his or her inspiration? For me, a walk down the streets of New York—which brings the aroma of roasted nuts, the sight of brightly decorated store windows, or the musical jingles of the Mister Softee truck—is enough to stir up my creative juices.

Asparagus has a long history of being treasured. The early Greeks and Romans not only prized the elegant spear as a delicious food, they considered it an aphrodisiac as well as a nifty first aid treatment for bee stings and toothaches.

Chef Anthony Goncalves never went to cooking school. He never started as a dishwasher or cooked under an award-winning chef. He never ran a large-scale operation. And yet, he is the chef and co-owner behind the 210-seat, 27,000 square-foot restaurant, 42 at the Ritz-Carlton Westchester, which sits atop the tallest building between Boston and New York with postcard worthy views of the Manhattan skyline and Hudson River Valley. How did Goncalves achieve such success in an industry so ridden with competition and closures? Equal parts talent, passion, charisma and, of course, a faithful Westchester investor.

Trust it to the Swiss—those champions of chocolate, cheese, folding knifes, and exquisite timepieces—to turn a simple mixture of sugar, butter, eggs, and flour into a vast repertoire of edible amenities worthy of gift giving and celebration.

"Gruyere is perfect for our mussel gratin because of its delicious taste and consistency. When it melts, it stays soft without becoming chewy or stringy, all while maintaining its depth of flavor and enhancing the overall dish.”